VARTAN OSKANIAN AND EU REPRESENTATIVE DISCUSSED ARMENIA-EU ACTION PLAN ELABORATION
PanARMENIAN.Net
05.04.2006 23:47 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian received today
Deputy Director General of the Directorate General for External
Relations Fokion Fotiadis, who is on visit in Armenia. Congratulating
Mr. Fotiadis with the appointment the RA FM voiced hop that the visit
will serve as a good basis for mutual cooperation. Vartan Oskanian
underscored Armenia intends to deepen relations with the Directorate
General for External Relations. The parties discussed a scope of
issues referring to the EU-Armenia relations. Special attention was
paid to the energy security of the region and diversification of
energy sources.
The parties referred to the elaboration of the Armenia-EU Action Plan
within the European Neighborhood Policy. Giving a high estimate to the
two completed stages they voiced assurance that in May the discussions
will be over and the program will be ready for implementation. The
interlocutors also emphasized that to establish normal relations
in the region special attention should be paid to the settlement of
conflicts, especially to the Nagorno Karabakh one.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

DRAFT BILL ON DUAL CITIZENSHIP INTRODUCED IN RA PARLIAMENT
PanARMENIAN.Net
06.04.2006 00:07 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Levon Mkrtchian, National Assembly’s Armenian
Revolutionary Federation (ARF) faction leader and Armen Rustamian
introduced on Wednesday the concept of a draft law, which would grant
a dual citizenship right to foreign Armenians.
“During the Constitutional referendum, the ARF presented its view on
this issue and our support of the constitutional amendments stemmed
from this stance,” Armen Rustamian said. “The ARF has prepared a
concept that could become the base for further discussions.” He said
three key issues would be resolved: organizing of worldwide Armenians
to contribute in national goals; new possibilities for Armenia’s
strengthening; and protection of rights of Armenians around the world.
He noted that while working on the concept the international practices
were studied to make the law compliant with international laws also
put in balance the rights and obligations. Levon Mkrtchian, in turn,
said a group of professionals, including Constitutional Court Chairman
Gagik Harutyunian, worked at the draft law. The concept consists of 15
sections each of which is to become a chapter in the future law. “The
dual citizenship for Armenians stems from the unique situation the
Armenians have found themselves after the Genocide,” Mkrtchian said.
Rustamian and Mkrtchian spoke of the necessity to clearly define
the rights and obligations, including the right to elect and be
elected. The concept will be submitted to the National Assembly as
a draft law in the fall, reported Yerkir Online.

VARTAN OSKANIAN AND DANISH AMBASSADOR DISCUSSED KARABAKH SETTLEMENT
PanARMENIAN.Net
06.04.2006 00:34 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today newly appointed Danish Ambassador to Armenia
Uffe Anderson Balslev handed the copies of credentials to RA Foreign
Minister Vartan Oskanian, reported the RA MFA press office. During the
meeting the interlocutors voiced satisfaction with the current level
of the Armenia-Denmark relations and noted that the implementation
of various joint projects will contribute their development. By the
diplomat’s request Vartan Oskanian briefed on the current stage of
the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement.

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS COMMEMORATION SOIREE HELD IN ATHENS
PanARMENIAN.Net
06.04.2006 00:46 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ April 4 a commemoration soiree dedicated to the
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide was held in Royal Olympic Hotel in
Athens, reported the RA MFA press office. The event was initiated by
the Rotari Club of Athens and was attended by some 200 club members,
Armenian parliamentarians and government members, representatives
of the Armenian community and Greek clergy. Armenian Ambassador to
Greece Vahram Kazhoyan was took part in the event.

ARMAN KIRAKOSIAN DISCUSSED ARMENIAN-CZECH RELATIONS
PanARMENIAN.Net
06.04.2006 01:18 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ April 3-4 Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister
Arman Kirakosian paid a visit Czechia, reported the RA MFA press
office. During the visit Arman Kirakosian met with First Deputy
to Czech FM Jaroslav Basta and Director General for Territorial
Administration Jaromir Plisek. Besides, he met with Czech Parliament
Vice-speaker Edvard Outrata and Deputy Chair of the Committee on
External Affairs Jan Kavan. The parties discussed the expansion of
the Armenian-Czech interparliamentary ties and the forthcoming visit
of Czech parliamentarians to Armenia. Arman Kirakosian also held a
meeting with representatives of the Armenian community.

IRAN: WHAT IS ALLOWED TO THE WEST IS NOT ALLOWED TO AZERBAIJAN
“PanARMENIAN.Net” analytical department
PanARMENIAN.Net
03.04.2006 GMT+04:00
“Azeris want to unite and create united Azerbaijan. But they should
not even dream about that”, said the ambassador of Iran in Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijan wants to enlist the support of United States in the
settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh problem and makes a curtsey towards
Turkey hoping that United States will note that. And since Turkey is
still one of the strategic partners of US in the region, the actions
of Azeri authorities are more than “justified”.
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The second world congress of Azeris was really an
“event” for the Azeri Diaspora, which is scattered, uncoordinated
and at times simply harmful for Azerbaijan. It is not a hard job to
bring examples proving the idea: numerous criminal battles in Russia,
odd actions “in support of Turkey” which obviously does not need any
support, though skillfully uses the Azeri factor struggling against
the international recognition of Armenian genocide. Thing that have
happened this time may from the first glance look strange or even
accidental. Statements against Iran, appeals to the people of South
Azerbaijan to unite and finally – announcing that Persian poets are
Azeri poets.
Most likely, Azerbaijan wants to win the support of United States in
the settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh problem and makes a curtsey towards
Turkey hoping that United States will note that. And since Turkey is
still one of the strategic partners of US in the region, the actions
of Azeri authorities are more than “justified”. Even more “justified”
is the behavior of Azeris in the light of threats to Iran. It is true,
but nevertheless Iran is not Iraq or Afghanistan. Iran accepts threats
quite adequately. Azerbaijan cannot afford things that the West can,
all the more appropriation of Persian cultural heritage.
The mess stirred up after the announcements made by the chairman of the
world congress of Azeris Javad Derekhty about the creation of united
Azerbaijan. In reply to this, the ambassador of Iran in Azerbaijan
said: “They want to unite and create united Azerbaijan. But they
should not even dream about that”.
This announcement was followed by the reaction of the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs of Iran. The diplomatic note from Iranian foreign
ministry said: “Under conditions when Azerbaijan has faced the
problem of territorial integrity, such announcements contradict to
national interests and are harmful for the strengthening of mutual
relations. The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran strongly
urges Azerbaijan to immediately put an end to such actions, stop the
activities of anti-Iranian elements and maintain the amicable agreement
between the two countries. Let us live and see how Azerbaijan benefits
from such announcements. Though I am the ambassador of the Islamic
Republic of Iran in your country, I myself am an Iranian Azeri. In
Iran there is a large number of parties and organizations, which
try to undertake certain actions in the republic. We do not create
favorable conditions for them. Such announcements may create serious
problems in future. It is necessary to put an end to speculations
of that kind. The state should not allow anyone to speak out against
the interest of another country during an official event.
Such people will not do good to Azerbaijan”.
It is not we to decide will they do good or not. But the fact is
that official Baku has already started rewriting not only their own
history, but also the history of Iran. Azeri “historians” seem to
have forgotten that playing with Iran is very dangerous.
Iranian Ambassador Suleymani has reminded once again that everything
written by the former President of Iran Mohammad Khatami about the
fact that Nizami Gyanjevi is an Iranian poet is plain truth. Nizami
wrote and created in Persian. He does not have any literary works in
Azerbaijani. “Azerbaijan doe not have a single proof, not a single
fact that could testify to the fact that Nizami wrote in Azerbaijani.
He did not read his poems in Azerbaijani. He read them in Persian
and later they were translated into Azerbaijani”, the ambassador
said. He also spoke against calling Shakhriar an Azeri poet. It is
noteworthy that the phenomenon of presenting Iranian poets as Azeri
poets began yet in 1960s with the coming of Heidar Aliev first as a
head of National Security Office and later as First Secretary of the
Communist Party of Azerbaijan.
In this connection it is worth quoting the phrase of 19th century
English Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli: In reply to the question why
there is no anti-Semitism in Great Britain, Disraeli (a christened Jew)
said: “the English simply do not think that Jews are smarter”.

WHICH IS THE TRUE COST OF GAS?
A1+
[08:44 pm] 05 April, 2006
“The price of the gas will not rise by more than 10-15%”, Robert
Kocharyan announced today.
According to him, the Committee regulating public services must
establish new tariffs. Let us remind you that since April 1 the price
of gas for Armenia is 110 USD for 1000 cubic meters. According tot
eh decision of the Committee, since April 10 the residents of Armenia
must pay 90 AMD for one cubic meter of gas instead of 59.
Robert Kocharyan claimed that the Government has found the way to
solve the problem. This way became known in the evening.
The Governments of Armenia and Russia have signed an agreement
according to which 45km of the gas pipeline Iran-Armenia already
belongs to the Russian company “Gasprom”. According to the Radio
Station “Azatutyun”, there is an agreement that “Gasprom” participates
in the construction of the second part of the pipeline, and he is the
owner of the 5th block of the Hrazdan heat-electric generating plant.
It is worth reminding today’s announcement by Kocharyan that “time
showed that the choice of the strategic partner in the face of Russian
“Gasprom” was right”.

0.5% GROWTH IN FOOD COMMODITY PRICES REGISTERED IN ARMENIA IN JANUARY-MARCH 2006
Noyan Tapan
Apr 05 2006
YEREVAN, APRIL 5, NOYAN TAPAN. A 0.5 price growth was registered in the
Armenian food commodity market in March on February 2006. A 0.1-21.2%
price growth was registered in 7 out of the 13 commodity groups, a
0.2-5.6% price growth – in 4 commodity groups, and in 2 groups the
prices remained at the previous month’s level. According to the RA
National Statistical Service, a 21.2% price growth registered in the
fish product commodity group in March on February 2006 was mainly
due to the 25.2% increase in the price of fresh white fish.
In March 2006, the price of granulated sugar continued to show
the upward tendency registered as far back as January, and the
overall price growth for these three months made 17.2%. The price of
granulated sugar rose by 7.2% in March on February 2006. A 0.5% price
growth was registered in the meat product commodity group in March
on February, mainly as a result of a growth in the prices of mutton
(2.3%) and beef (1.4%). A 0.1-0.4% price growth was registered in the
commodity groups of milk products, confectionery , bread products and
other foodstuffs in March on February, while the prices of coffee,
tea, cocoa and nonalcoholic drinks remained at the previous month’s
level. The average price of eggs fell by 13.6% in February-March 2006,
with the price fall making 5.6% in March on February. The fall in
the prices of potato and vegetables made 1.9% in Armenia in March
on February 2006, which is by 5.9% lower than the respective index
for the same period of last year. During the indicated period, a
price fall was registered in the commodity groups of cabbage (13.1%),
cucumber (7.5%), leek (7.1%), onion (4.6%) and potato (0.4%). At the
same time, the prices of tomato, green pepper, garlic, carrot and
beet grew by 2.8-12.4% in Armenia. A 3.9% price fall was registered
in the fruit commodity group in February-March 2006, with the price
fall in March on February making 0.8%, which was mainly conditionrd
by a fall in the prices of grapes (0.8%), apple (2.85), pear (0.8%),
as well as a number of fruits imported into Armenia: orange (2.8%),
lemon (2.8%) and banana (2.5%). There was a 0.2% price fall in the
commodity group of butter and vegetable oil in March on February 2006,
while the prices of alcoholic drinks and cigarettes reamined unchanged
compared with the previos month.

WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THE STATE?
Lragir.am
06 April 06
Visiting Armrusgasard April 5, President Robert Kocharyan confirmed
the plan “price of Russian gas – Hrazdan Thermal Power Plant 5th
generating unit.” Of course, the president did not exclude subtleties
in a new Russian-Armenian property agreement, but he announced that
an investment program would be implemented with the Russian party. As
Robert Kocharyan assured on TV, this program would enable modernization
of the thermal power plant, allowing more sustainable energy generation
and reducing dependence on gas. Thus, Russians have agreed to a plan
which will reduce the dependence of Armenia on them. It is difficult
to believe, on the other hand, that the president is not telling
the truth or he is not telling the whole truth. Moreover, it is even
difficult to suggest that the president does not know the whole truth.
On the other hand, if Robert Kocharyan announced something, it is
the reality. However, the problem is that Robert Kocharyan spoke to a
camera, and it is not known which mass media the camera belongs. His
words were spread through TV channels. No news reporters were invited
to cover Robert Kocharyan’s visit to Armrusgasard. This is not an
exception, but with regard to these issues it is necessary to have a
closer contact with the public through a wider news coverage, which
the president of Armenia has not done for ages. In the meantime,
the society is not merely interested in the modernization of the 5th
generating unit of the thermal plant and the price at which gas will
be supplied to people, but also other questions emanating from these.
For instance, are there guarantees that the plan of modernization of
the thermal plant would not the same fate as all the other companies
transferred to Russia in repayment of the government debt? Or when
the president announces that price of gas will go up by at least
10-15 per cent for the population, one may wonder who is going to
cover the remaining 65-70 per cent of 80 per cent increase of the
price of gas to be paid to Armrusgasard. The government publicly
assumes compensation. The other question that occurs is why the
government should compensate if the Public Utilities Commission had
made a hasty decision. Or why the commission made a hasty decision,
and if anyone from the government is going to find it out, or if the
reason for hastiness is known to the government, or maybe this reason
is visible or tangible. If we assume that the government is going to
compensate to Armrusgasard, the question is on what money.
Maybe the money of taxpayers? But the money of taxpayers is spent
under the law on the budget, and nothing of the kind is set down
in that law. It is not set down that the taxpayers must pay for the
mistakes of the authorities in governance and foreign policies. If
there are other means, it is interesting to know where these come
from: loan, grant, privatization, personal savings of government
officials. It is also interesting to know why the president, who
usually had consultations in his office, decided to go himself. The
president did not say a single word about transferring the shares of
the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline in the context of the gas price talks.
Why? Is it real or not? The president could have refuted it but he
did not. Whereas he should have assured the society that we are not
going to give the pipeline, essential to our energy security, to a
country we want to be less dependent on in terms of energy.
Questions are too many, and no doubt the president’s answers
to these questions would give rise to new questions. Probably,
Robert Kocharyan avoided meeting news reporters to save time, and
considered it enough to broadcast the video on several channels. Or
maybe answering these questions is inferior to the competence of the
president. In this case the president could instruct a top official
to give up attempts of reassuring people with a heroic mystery on
their face, and give true information to public on what is happening
with the state property of the Republic of Armenia, the policies on
energy security, and the Republic of Armenia in general. Finally,
the state has the right to know what is happening with itself. Maybe
the state could tell something.

NEARLY HALF OF RUSSIANS ARE “FOR” RUSSIA’S PARTICIPATION IN CONFLICT SETTLEMENT IN POST-SOVIET TERRITORY
l
16:31 04/05/2006
40% of Russians believe Russia is to render assistance to
self-proclaimed republics in the territory of the former USSR to
gain full and formal independence. The Russian Public Opinion Center
(VTsIOM) publishes the data based on a poll conducted on March 18-19,
2006.
Further, 26% believe, Russia should press South Ossetia, Abkhazia,
Nagorno Karabakh, and Transdnestr to rejoin the states they had
left. One third of respondents (34%) found it difficult to answer
the question. Mainly respondents with university and unfinished
university education tend to advocate international recognition of
the self-proclaimed republics (46%).
Answering the question about Russia’s reaction to military conflicts
in the CIS territory, 47% of respondents said, Russia should actively
strive to settle them itself, 36%, on the contrary, believe it
is necessary to give the role to international organizations (UN,
OSCE etc.) or even to military and political forces from outside
the CIS. It should be mentioned, there are more supporters of active
position of Russia among men (54% against 34%), and women’s opinion
is nearly equally divided (42% against 39%).
VTsIOM all-Russian public opinion poll was conducted on March 18-19,
2006.
1,600 persons from 153 settlements in 46 Russian regions and republics
were questioned. Statistical error does not exceed 3.4%.